Like I mentioned in the post, I've never worn shorts. My entire life. I hate them. Loathe them. They're right up there with swimming suits, you know? But as I was writing Monday's post, I thought--you know, I've always wanted to try the tights with shorts thing. So, I radically accepted that my legs are MY legs.

They are how they are right now, in this very moment, and they're not changing any time soon. I know this because it's not in my gene's cards to be any different. So why not just embrace them? Why not free myself from these self-imposed negative thoughts about these here legs and just let my freaky leg flag fly?

sweater: thrifted // shirt: thrifted // shorts: thrifted // shoes: Handstand c/o Blowfish // bracelets: forever 21

You know what else I radically accepted today? The fact that if anyone seriously judges me because of my legs, then I want nothing to do with them because who does that? Get a life.

Radical acceptance is preeeeetty awesome, kids. It is so freeing. How's the challenge going for you? Any cool experiences to share? Let's hear it!

This post is part of the self-love revolution going on all month long here on A is for Ampersand. Be sure to sign the declaration of self-hate independence and join in on the revolution!

Self-love has been a long process for me. When I was 17 years old, I found out that I was pregnant for my son Logan and gave birth to him when I was 18. At 17, that wasn't really in my plans. I had an internship with Fox Networks lined up for after graduation and so much I wanted to set out and accomplish. Everything changed once I found out there was now another human being growing inside me that I would be responsible for the rest of my life. No internship, no living in a new city with friends and doing "my 20's". Nope, it was straight into motherhood for me.

Having a baby at 18 does things to you emotionally, mentally, physically and effects every aspect of your life. Would I change it? Not for anything in the world!! But, that doesn't mean I haven't struggled with having a "mom body" while the rest of my friends had perfect 20 year old bodies. I watched everyone go off to college, live in other cities, go after their dreams, party and do all of those things I was supposed to be doing while I was instead working a  full time job and home every night to take care of my child and living with my parents. 

Even though I knew and know that Logan is the best thing that could have ever happened to me and he is the center of my universe, I still struggled with feeling left out or left behind. Feeling gross because I had stretch marks and baby weight. Feeling dumb because I wasn't attending college or doing some super awesome internship. Feeling like I was a bad mom for not having a better job and a place for just Logan and I. It might sound terrible or selfish that as a mom I felt that way but it's the truth. 

I had to learn and see for myself that I was doing the most beautiful thing I will have ever done with my life and that is raising an amazing, handsome, kind, caring, sweet, loving, patient, funny, strong, smart boy. I learned that if someone cannot see how beautiful and precious that is, they do not deserve to be in my life. More importantly, I had to learn to love myself for everything I was doing for him. The bond that Logan and I have because of everything him and I went through together is the most beautiful thing I could ever think of. I am a strong and beautiful woman because I am a mom. I love myself for that and for raising such a beautiful child. I always want Logan to believe in himself and love himself. I have to be that example, I have to practice what I preach and he reminds me of that each and every day. 

So, I want to share with you guys what Logan and I love to do that is always sure to make you smile and maybe even shake your bum. Random dance parties. Yep, we put on some of our favorite songs to get down to and dance it out. We dance in the car, the kitchen, on a walk, wherever. It makes us happy, giggle and will make any bad day better. I promise! I've really perfected my mom dance over the past few years that I plan on busting out the first school dance that I chaperone. I'm pretty proud of it and cannot wait to embarrass Logan with one day. That is my job as a mom right? To embarrass my child? Yes, I think it is. Hehehe. 

Music is a very important part of our lives and I believe that just hearing the right song can completely change your mood and outlook on yourself or your day. I've put together some of Logan and I's favorite jams to randomly bust a move to. So give it a shot, turn the volume up a little (a lot) louder than you normally do, and wherever you might be, public or not, dance! It's the happiest cure in the world for just about everything! I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading my post and being a part of this amazing month! Love yourself, love yourself, love yourself!!!

This post is part of the self-love revolution going on all month long here on A is for Ampersand. Be sure to sign the declaration of self-hate independence and join in on the revolution!

-What's my favorite season? Fall and/or winter.
-What's my dream vacation? Somewhere cold.
-I've been known to hate the beach. I know. Blasphemy, right?

But are you seeing the trend? It all boils down to one STUPID stupid insecurity:

Swimsuits.

So lame, right? I can't tell you how many times I've turned down hot tubbing or days at the pool because I couldn't get real and get over it. And people always wonder why I hate summer so much--it's because the shorts get shorter and the sleeves do, too, am I right?

How many of you reading this have missed out on things you'd normally love to do because of your body image insecurities? Skipped the shorts and tank tops because you hate your arms and thighs? Or maybe you didn't buy those jeans you needed because the number on the tag terrified you.

Maybe it's not about body image--maybe you haven't gone to that concert you wanted to go to because you let your anxiety get the best of you. Or you didn't relax on the weekend because you felt guilty about not getting a certain something done.

We've all got our insecurities in one way or another that prevent us from doing what we REALLY want to do. So, this week's self-love challenge?

What does radical acceptance mean? If you've ever been in therapy, it might be a term you are nice and cozy with.

Radial acceptance is a beautiful thing and was the first major breakthrough for me in my recovery.

What if instead of fighting your body, you radically accepted how it looked right now at this very moment. Accept it for what it is, how it looks, what size it is, and--gasp--ENJOY IT. What if you radically accepted it, realized that you can't change it immediately, and went ahead and put on a swimsuit anyway?

What if instead of fighting your body, you radically accepted that your genes will never be what society tells you they should be? What if you radically accepted that you are no longer going to accept living with painfully negative self talk?

Are you catching on to the concept? Revolutionary, right?

Please, please, PLEASE believe me when I tell you that radical acceptance is so powerfully liberating! My therapist always told me it was like "pooping and getting off the pot." Yeah, you might not love your situation right now, but it is what it is. Accept it and move on so that you can LIVE YOUR LIFE.

I'll be back later this week with how I tackled this challenge, but right now, I want you to tell me...

What have you been denying yourself because of your insecurities? And what will you try to radcially accept this week?

Will it be accepting that you can't get EVERYTHING done on your list? Accepting that free time is a perfectly acceptable way to spend time? Accepting that a certain someone is toxic and that you need to stop being their friend for your own sanity?

What will you radically accept this week?

This post is part of the self-love revolution going on all month long here on A is for Ampersand. Be sure to sign the declaration of self-hate independence and join in on the revolution!

In celebration of completing another week of the revolution, my sweet friend Des of Mano y Metal has so generously offered up one of her gorgeous custom heart pendants to one lucky reader!

I bought myself one of these the second Des released them and put my two favorite furry lovers' intials on there--Royal and Pagoda. Yes, I am THAT cat lady.

HOW TO WIN:

1. All you have to do is follow the Mano y Metal blog! Des is such a sweetheart, and I know you will love her!

BONUS ENTRIES:

2. Follow my blog

3. Tweet about the giveaway using the following:

"Love yourself and enter to win a custom heart pendant from @manoymetal on @amorby's blog! http://bit.ly/yUXdl4"

This giveaway goes all month, with the winner announced on March 1. GOOD LUCK! And be sure to visit Des's Etsy shop and check out all of her awesome pieces! I have a ring and a necklace from her that I loooove.

This week for Thrifty Thursday, I'm going to share a super simple, super cheap, and super green self-love DIY you can do in less than 15 minutes! Sweater sleeve slippers!

Here's what you'll need:

1. Cut the sleeves off of your sweater. My sweater is super soft and cost $2. Yes!

2. Turn the sleeve inside out, and slip on your foot with the sweater's cuff at the top of your leg. This will make it so you only need one seam, and the top of your slipper will have a nice cuffed edge!

3. Now you're going to draw your pattern. I use the term pattern very loosely here. Just pull the sleeve around your foot so that it's as tight as you want it to be, and draw the outline of your foot with the chalk.

4. Now just sew along that chalk line to create your slipper! It should look like this when you're done.

5. Cut off the excess, turn rightside out, and you've got yourself a pair of cozy slippers to slip into when you're giving yourself your well-deserved self-love time! You can use Tessa's sugar scrub recipe from yesterday, give your feet a nice pedicure, and then cozy up with your new slippers. I even hand-sewed some little felt hearts on the top to remind me to love myself. You can add any embellishments your little heart desires.

Enjoy!

Have you taken me up on this week's challenge yet? What have you done to pamper yourself this week?

This post is part of the self-love revolution going on all month long here on A is for Ampersand. Be sure to sign the declaration of self-hate independence and join in on the revolution!

I like to relax and wind down from my day with a nice, hot bath. But since I love making things - everything from cakes to paintings - I got the idea that I wanted to try to make some homemade sugar scrub to add some extra indulgence to my bath.

I went online and found lots and lots of information and found out what each ingredient in a sugar scrub does, then I took what I already had on hand in the kitchen and created my own version of a sugar scrub: Coffee Love Sugar Scrub.

Here’s how to make my Coffee Love Sugar Scrub:

You’ll need the following:

*1/4 cup coffee grounds (Mine were from my coffee machine this morning, and I just waited until they cooled off.)

*1/4 cup sugar (I used white sugar, but any other sugar will do.)

*1 tbsp. olive oil (I used extra virgin for this example.)

*a splash of vanilla extract (This is to make it smell yummy. You can also use flavor oils for soapmaking if you have any of those.)

Mix the coffee grounds and the sugar together first. It should look something like this:

Now add in the olive oil and the splash of vanilla, and mix thoroughly – it’s that simple!

The finished product will look a bit like this:

You’ve now made enough for one application of sugar scrub. You can double or triple the recipe if you need more or want to make some for a friend, but remember: these scrubs do have an expiration date since they are made with food products. Be sure to use it up within 2 weeks of making a batch!

Wondering how to use the scrub? I rub it onto my legs and arms right before showering or bathing. The coffee grounds and sugar will exfoliate your skin, and make you feel so soft! The olive oil does leave a greasy residue, so be sure to soap up and wash it off before leaving the tub. Your skin will feel amazingly happy, and I think the scent of the coffee mixed with the hot steam of a bath feels pretty invigorating!

If you wait a little while between making the scrub and using it, you’ll find the oil does settle to the top. Give it a quick stir before use, and then it’s good to go!

Not a coffee drinker? Double up on the sugar and omit the coffee, and you’ll have a Sugar Love Scrub. You could even pair white and brown sugar for some color variation in your scrub…

I hope you loved using your the Coffee Love Scrub! It’s so much fun to give as a gift. You can put it in an old jar, paint the lid, and add a tag with instructions for use…

Please don't forget to take some time to pamper yourself this month!

This post is part of the self-love revolution going on all month long here on A is for Ampersand. Be sure to sign the declaration of self-hate independence and join in on the revolution!

Self love...in today's society it kind of seems like a crazy concept, doesn't it? I know more people who complain about things rather than praise them. every girl i know is quick to jump on the "i hate my ____" band wagon. it reminds me of that part in mean girls where the mean girls are all stating something they hate about themselves while looking in the mirror and then look to lindsay lohan like 'so...what do you hate about yourself?'

it's really sad that we've come to this standstill where it's more common to hate yourself than love yourself. when did this happen? i'd like to blame celebrities and models but really we can't place the blame on anyone but ourselves.

i definitely think that self love comes with age but i wish it didn't. we all went through the awkward teen years where we were 'finding ourselves' and sometimes it takes longer than your teen years to really figure out who you are...and i know that until you find that out about yourself, it's hard to be 100% confident, right? i know it took me a long time to become comfortable, confident and happy with myself and truly love myself for the amazing person that i am. saying things like "i feel beautiful", "i'm a really great person" or "i look really awesome in this outfit" are generally looked upon as being cocky but why does it have to be that way? you should be saying things like that to yourself all the time. looking in the mirror and saying "damn girl, you look GOOD today" should replace "ugh, i hate my tummy in this shirt."

we automatically look for something negative and that's SO backwards. i want that to change right now. instead of looking in the mirror and automatically focusing in on something you hate about yourself, try focusing on the parts you love about yourself. starting now. so tell me, what do you love about yourself?

physically, i love my eyes, they remind me of my grandpa every single day. i love my long hair that makes me feel feminine and pretty. i love that i'm a really good friend. i pride myself on that. i love that i am a motivated person who makes goals & achieves them. i love that i am caring & easy to get along with.

So today, please join in & leave a comment with what YOU love about YOURSELF!

I want to give a HUGE thank you to Carly for her post today AND extend the challenge she's given to you guys. I've made this little Valentine for you to give to YOURSELF today. I want you to write something that you love about yourself on it, print it out, and hang it where you'll see it often. I'll be writing "I love me and my big ol' brown eyes" on mine!

Click here to download the PDF so you can do this exercise with us because who doesn't love getting Valentines on Valentine's Day, right? Be your own secret admirer, your own biggest fan, your own lover, and love yourself today! And don't forget to tell us in the comments what you love most about yourself!

This post is part of the self-love revolution going on all month long here on A is for Ampersand. Be sure to sign the declaration of self-hate independence and join in on the revolution!

When it comes to self love, sometimes you just have to pamper yourself. Put on your favorite lipstick and nail polish so that YOU and you alone feel confident and strong. I'm a firm believer in taking the time to tell yourself that YOU love yourself by doing little things that are caring and loving towards your body and you.

I've never been a big makeup girl, but there are a couple of things that I turn to when I feel like I need to pamper myself. I don't mean that in a "I need makeup to feel pretty way." I mean this in a way that says, hey, here's some makeup shiz I like to wear to make me feel like a strong and confident woman. It's not about what others think, it's not about what Mitch thinks, it's about what makes ME feel feminine. Know what I'm saying? Ok good.

So, here are my favorite makeup-y items that boost my confidence and make me feel like a fierce lady:

1 // Essie Matte Top Coat and Sally Hansen Insta-Dry

Have you tried this matte top coat lately? You need to. You can just throw it on top of any color and it will turn it matte. It's fantastic. I also love this Sally Hansen Insta-Dry stuff because it really dries your nails in a matter of seconds, which is great news for someone who chronically messes up her nails due to impatience.

2 // sparkly polish and a nail pen

Nothing fancy here other than me saying that I am a firm believer in the power of sparkly nail polish. Get some and USE IT. Especially a gold glitter polish. Also, nail art pens are just fun. That's all I have to say about that.

3 // Gel Eyeliner

Good grief. I CANNOT say enough good things about gel eyeliner. GET SOME. Now. As in this second. This shiz makes you feel instantly like a lady and is not scary to put on--trust me. I was scared of it, but with the angled brush, it's super easy. This particular kind is Fluidline Blacktrack by Mac. Thanks for this one, Laura!

4 // RED LIPSTICK

Red lipstick, all caps necessary. Every girl needs some bright red lipstick in her life. Trust me. Don't fear it. Just embrace it. This is my absolutely FAVORITE lipstick in the universe. It's Adora by Kat Von D, and it is easily the best thing that ever happened to me. That's an exaggeration, but not really. And hey, have you seen Moorea's red lipstick challenge? Join in! I promise that if you just try it three times you will LOVE it.

This is me, sternly telling you to GET SOME RED LIPSTICK. NOW.

I think that having little silly things like these are a huge gesture of self love--treat yourself to something YOU love and think makes you look good. You deserve it this week and always!

What are your favorite products that make you feel awesome? And what's your favorite way to pamper yourself?

This post is part of the self-love revolution going on all month long here on A is for Ampersand. Be sure to sign the declaration of self-hate independence and join in on the revolution!

So, as a fun way to thank all of you, I'm offering up a $50 ModCloth gift card!

It's in honor of this week's challenge--wearing what you want to wear because YOU love it. The only stipulation is that if you win, you HAVE to buy something crazy you love that you normally wouldn't buy. Something crazy and bold that you'd normally be scared to wear but secretly want to.

HOW TO WIN

1. ) Just follow my blog and leave a comment below listing one thing you've done this month to love yourself! (MANDATORY ENTRY because I want to hear how you've been doing in the revolution!)

BONUS ENTRIES (LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH!)

2. ) Tweet about the revolution using this:

"Love yourself and enter to win a $50 ModCloth gift card on @amorby's blog! http://bit.ly/wBTMUp"

3.) leave another comment telling me one unique thing about you!

The giveaway will be open all month with the winner announced on March 1. GOOD LUCK! And love yourself this weekend!

This post is part of the self-love revolution going on all month long here on A is for Ampersand. Be sure to sign the declaration of self-hate independence and join in on the revolution!

This little dress is a number I picked up thrifting last year for $5. I altered it, but ended up never wearing it out once I did. I don't know why. I think I just felt scared about just HOW vintage-y it was. The lace collar was what made me buy it, but it's also what scared me about wearing it.

So, after issuing this challenge to all of you, I figured I better get real and wear it out. I paired it with my thrifted jean jacket and my Blowfish boots to modernize it a bit.

dress: vintage // jacket: thrifted // boots: c/o Blowfish // tights: target // purse: thrifted

See? I survived. I even wore this out and about to run all my errands. Yeah baby! Self-love challenge accepted.

Have you done the challenge yet? How did it go? Link me up if you blogged about it!